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Ford’s fiscal update leaves Northerners behind, again

After four years in government, Doug Ford is leaving out northern families yet again, said Northern Ontario’s NDP MPPs responding to the Ford government’s economic and fiscal outlook on Monday.

The following statement was issued by northern NDP MPPs Judith Monteith-Farrell (Thunder Bay – Atikokan), Sol Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong), Jamie West (Sudbury), Guy Bourgouin (Mushkegowuk-James Bay), France Gélinas (Nickel Belt), Michael Mantha (Algoma-Manitoulin), John Vanthof (Timiskaming-Cochrane) and Gilles Bisson (Timmins).

“After four years in government, Doug Ford and the Conservatives failed to deliver what northern families have been missing for too long. The budget-adjustment released by the Ford government Monday was an opportunity to hear the calls of northern families, and invest in our needs — like better highways, more access to health care, and help with the cost of living. But Ford ignored Northerners, again.

Instead of providing more doctors and nurses during this pandemic, Ford cut health care budgets and froze wages for frontline health care workers. He’s learned nothing from this health crisis, and is going ahead with cutting public health units in Northern Ontario.

Drivers and their families are still risking their lives on dangerous northern highways this winter because Doug Ford and the Conservatives refused to invest in northern winter road maintenance. The Ford government failed to complete the four-laning of highway 69, refusing to invest in building the last 68 kilometers of the project.

Northern and rural communities still don’t have access to broadband while the Ford government sits on $135 million they never spent on high speed internet access for rural and northern families that need it.

We need more investment in our schools and education, not more of Ford’s cuts.

Northerners today are paying the highest prices for everything from gas to hydro and food while they are getting less public services that families depend on.

Northerners can’t afford four more years of Doug Ford and the Conservatives.”

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